318 OSSEOUS TUMOUR OF ANTERIOR MAXILLARY BONE. 
increases, and the cavities containing it augment and coalesce, so the firmer 
substance becomes, as it were, cribriform ; or when the softer substance is 
washed away, it may appear reticulated or sponge-like, or as if it had a 
radiated or plaited structure. Or, lastly, the soft substance may alone 
compose the whole of the cancer : but this, I think, is very rarely the case, 
except in secondary formations and in the lymphatic glands.] 
OSSEOUS TUMOUR OF THE ANTERIOR 
MAXILLARY BONE.— OPERATION. 
By J. Arnold, M.R.C.Y.S., Leiston. 
I have forwarded to you an osseous tumour which I re- 
moved the day before yesterday (April 11th), from the upper 
jaw of a three years old colt. The history of the case is very 
brief. 
I bought the animal, a few w r eeks since, to work upon 
my farm, and noticed at the time an enlargement of the jaw ; 
I learned that it had been known to exist about four months, 
at which date it was first seen by his owner, being then about 
as large as a pigeon’s egg ; it must have grown very rapidly 
since then, as you will perceive from its present size. Previous 
to my purchasing the colt, the tumour had been frequently 
cauterized with the nitrate of silver, but without in any way 
diminishing its bulk or checking the progress of its growth: 
latterly it has interfered with the prehensile power of the 
upper lip, but the animal has kept up his condition, and did 
not appear to suffer any pain from its presence. The base, or 
attached portion, w r as nearly equal to its free surface. The 
incisor teeth, especially the central ones, were displaced, so as 
to leave a space of nearly three inches between, but this proba- 
bly will be remedied to some extent, now that the cause is 
removed. I do not at all fear but that the operation will be 
perfectly successful, and that recovery will be tolerably quick. 
The operation was commenced by dissecting sufficient of 
mucous membrane from the surface of the enlargement to cover 
completely the exposed jaw after its removal. With a suitable 
saw I then cut through the base of the tumour, as close to the 
sockets of the incisor teeth as I deemed prudent ; after which, 
the flaps of mucous membrane were brought over the spot and 
secured by sutures. The hemorrhage, although considerable 
at first, was soon staunched. The colt was willing and far 
better able, having regained the use of upper lip, to feed, very 
early after the removal of the tumour. 
[Through Mr. Arnold’s kindness, we arc enabled to give the 
